EnglishFirst Impressions Are Everything: Beckhams In China
The Beckhams visit China, proving that their superstar shine has yet to wear off.
David and Victoria Beckham may have hit their peak in the 90's, but the stir of excitement they caused during their recent trips to China proves that these two icons still mean something today. The ex-footballer and the ex-Spice Girl were recently in China promoting both football and fashion.
Football ambassador
After announcing his official retirement from professional football back in March, the former Manchester United captain found a new job as the official ambassador of the Chinese Super League. Since then, he's been busy promoting the sport all over the country.
“I’m excited by the prospect of promoting the world’s greatest game to Chinese sports fans, as I’ve seen firsthand the growing interest in football there,” Beckham said, according to E! News.
In the past month he's visited several schools, donated to charities to promote football for the youth, and even made a half-time appearance at a Super League match, where he played a kickaround game with a group of children. On top of his official duties, during a trip to Hangzhou he also visited a hospital to spend time with children suffering from congenital heart disease.
Not all the excitement has been positive however. His appearance at Tongji University in Shanghai on June 22 triggered a stampede of over 1,000 eager people attempting to get a glimpse of the football icon – at least 7 people were injured as a result. After the event was canceled, Beckham promptly made a television appearance sending his regards to the victims involved.
Promoting the David Beckham Bodywear Collection
Charity and football were not the only things on David’s agenda however. He was also in the country promoting another passion – men's underwear.
Last week, Beckham made an appearance at an H&M outlet in Beijing to promote the addition of the 'red' line to his David Beckham Bodywear collection, a move that should definitely appeal to Chinese customers. A “stylish thermal underwear” line is also planned for the Chinese market.
At the event, Beckham denied a request to personally show off his underwear line in person, to the dismay of many eager fans. When Beckham was in China previously, he caused a mild controversy when he took off his shirt to show his tattoos during a talk at Peking University. You can see what all the fuss is about by watching the Beckham–H&M commercial on Youku, which has over 110,000 views. It's no surprise when H&M China says that it's actually mostly women who purchase the Beckham bodywear for their significant others.
Victoria Beckham’s new fashion line
Speaking of significant others, Victoria Beckham was also in the country last month promoting her new fashion line at Lane Crawford in Beijing.
The former pop-star still has a huge presence in China where she's known as a modern fashion icon. When she arrived at the airport in Beijing, she was greeted by excited fans and welcome banners. Her new line is expected to perform well in the Chinese market.
On June 24, Mrs Beckham also visited the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, where she talked fashion with the editorial director of Vogue China, Angelica Cheung. Beckham is set to appear on the cover of Vogue China in August.
Whether you're a fan of the Beckhams or not, it's hard to deny the strength of their star-power. David and Victoria may both be hitting 40 in the next couple of years, but it doesn't look like they have any intention of slowing their workload and influence down anytime soon.
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